"To rebuild is exciting as well. We can click very quickly because we look like a team on the pitch at the moment," he said. "I believe that we look a team on the pitch and a team who is ready to fight together.

"We have not scored and have not been completely at our best going forward, but that will happen eventually.

"Of course if you gave me a choice I would have preferred to keep Van Persie.

"But if you lose a player who scores 30 goals, there are not 100 players in the world who can score 30 goals a season at this level."